It's A Typical Love Story
by Ginnyloveswriting
Summary: Shannon was not a snob, oh no, she wasn’t. But she did have a certain IDEA as to what her ‘man’ should look like. Handsome, of course. Dark-haired, blue eyed. Tall. Broad shoulders, narrow waist. Sexy arms. In short, everything HE wasn’t.
1. Idealism Of Man, Thoughts and Things

**It's a **_**Typical**_** Love Story.**

**Summary**: Shannon was not a snob, oh no, she wasn't. But she did have a certain IDEA as to what her 'man' should look like. Handsome, of course. Dark-haired, blue eyed. Tall. Broad shoulders, narrow waist. Sexy arms. In short, everything HE wasn't.

**Disclaimer**: I have whatsoever no rights on **Katharine McPhee's song 'Love Story' on which this story is based**. All rights belong to Miss McPhee and the song's producers (I suppose).

**Autho**r: Ginnyloveslife

(This is my first time, doing this…)

_**To:**_

My **mother**, who has always supported me and given me confidence (even when she is not willing to tell whether I look fat or not), thanks so much, and remember, the tea I make for you should tell you how much I love you; too much, just like the amount of sugar that is in your tea.

And **God**, because if He hadn't told me that it's OK to write, and to go ahead, well, then, there wouldn't _have_ been a story, would there? So thank you, for giving me the ability (I hope!) to write so that people DO want to read beyond the first two pages. Thank you.

----------

_Chapter 1: _Idealism. Of Man, Thoughts and Things in Life.

Shannon Kilbourne was a hardcore idealist. She believed everybody and everything belonged in their place and when the time was right, everything happened accordingly. At least it _should_. But in Shannon's well kept world, where everything was maintained perfectly by the owner, little things habitually kept falling out of place. Usually these things were taken out of their place (and not kept back) by the ever spontaneous Anna Stevenson and her sister, Abby and for these, Shannon was never very welcome. They caused changes and derailed her perfectly arranged life, something which Ms. Kilbourne was not very particularly fond of.

However, maybe in the events to come, Shannon just might feel a bit grateful to her best friend and her boisterous sister for causing _that_ particular uproar in her perfectly managed life.

But then again, maybe not.

* * *

Like all things is life, Shannon wanted her man to be ideal. Tall, blue-eyed, dark-haired, gallant, intelligent, not too brash, but not too soft either and most certainly kind. And if not blue-eyed/dark-haired, he_ must _be good looking. A bit. Or… a lot. Shannon wasn't about to admit it to anybody but she wasn't about to settle for anybody less. Some say that is why Kilbourne never found anybody.

She was looking for the perfect fairy tale and what she found was a typical love story, giggling mischievously as it slapped her awake from her Cinderella dream…

* * *

It surely must have been that summer at Camp Summerlove which Shannon, Anna and Abby were attending after finishing their junior year. It was that sort of camp that had something for everybody. For jocks, artists, cheerleaders and wanna-be scientists. For bookworms converting to writers, for Beethoven-worshippers, for goths and for those who cried watching _Gone With the Wind_. For those who thought they could dance and for those who _knew_ they were the next Kelly Clarkson. In short, for _everybody_.

Anna liked it because there was a temple here where she could crawl in and chant 'Beethoven-Mozart'; Abby because they _finally_ didn't differentiate between boys soccer and girls soccer and Shannon, because it was convenient. There were classes for astronomy, Spanish, Office Management, Tennis, French. Everything that she usually did in one single, very cool camp.

So, here we are, watching Shannon Kilbourne stroll to the first class of Astronomy wondering if the astronauts and scientist had finally decided whether Pluto was a planet or not. And what was the deal with the Martians anyway? Everybody knew they were there, so why try hiding behind million-old craters? Might as well come out and let Humans tie smiley-friendship bands around their green arms. Saves everybody's time.

But then again, the scientists/astronauts claimed that there weren't any Martians because there simply wasn't enough oxygen and water on Mars. Well, was there some rule written that said living things _had _to breathe oxygen and resent toxic gases? What if Martians breathed in, say, monoxide just as well humans did in its bi form? What was toxic to us need not necessarily be bad for Martians, couldn't _that_ be possible?

Really, when Shannon actually thought about it, Humans were very close-minded and unfriendly towards new lifestyle and people. Of course, when _she_ became scientist-astronaut-whatever (perhaps) at the NASA, she'd change that. After all, humans weren't morons; all they needed was a nudge in the right direction and then they can manage.

Feeling extremely pleased with her deep reflections and discoveries, Shannon sauntered in the class and settled down comfortably in the first row.

But if this camp was unique in a good way, it was so in a bad way as well. Like some overgrown second graders, they were assigned _partners_;right on the very first day of the class, that too! Well, really! Shannon huffed and puffed to herself as she dropped in her name written neatly on a slip of white paper in a big box.

Not only did she dislike partners (especially in a subject like Astronomy where she tended to get a bit philosophic); with her luck, she was bound and sealed to get a complete nerd who would talk about everything boring and confuse her. Ideally, a good girl like her should get a good partner. Sadly, the keyword was _should_.

But, Shannon thought to herself as she slowly walked back to her seat, the keyword could be _could_. Who knows, maybe she _could. _Brightening, she sat down and waited in desperate anticipation for the announcements. Not a life altering decision, but most certainly a camp-altering. She crossed her fingers (and for good measure) her toe fingers as well. Here it comes…

"Shannon Kilbourne; Trevor Melbourne. You both are'bourne' together." Mr Nelson guffawed at his own horrible pun.

Shannon immediately started to hunt for Trevor Melbourne, a guy she knew only by name. So in a way, her fears had still not been dispelled; she still didn't know what kind of partner he'd be.

She soon found out.

Trevor Melbourne was the geek straight out of the 'Beauty and the Geek'. He was wearing big brown canvas shoes, brown polyester pants and checked yellow shirt with dark blue glasses that gave his eyes an owlish look. He had dark black hair slicked back with too much gel, accompanying his white large-toothed smile that he now flashed at her. And just to air brush the picture, he carried a big thick book underneath his arms that his thick bespectacled eyes had probably read ten times already.

Picture perfect.

Smile and say 'cheese'.

Shannon felt the ground slip beneath her.

There was no 'could', only 'should'. At least for her.

"Hello, Shannon." Trevor Melbourne greeted her politely.

"Hey," she smiled back half heartedly, furiously working away on her gum that now seemed a million times more interesting that her partner. Her _Astronomy _partner.

"Shall we…sit then?" he gestured towards the table awkwardly.

Sliding into a chair, Shannon took a quick peek into the title of his book: _Fairy Tales: Truth or Legend?_

Doomed. She. Was.

* * *

"He's such a _nerd,_ Anna. Honest!"

"Did you talk to him?" Anna Stevenson asked pointedly.

"OK, so we didn't talk much, true, but still, do you know what the title of his 10,000-pages book read? _Fairy Tales: Truth or Legend?_! What the heck in that!?"

"Nobody's asking you to date him; you're his _Astronomy _partner. So long as he knows his stuff, you should be OK!" Abby, Anna's sister, reasoned.

"But I was hoping for a fun partner!"

Abby rolled her eyes and Anna gave her a patient smile.

"Hon, first of, you are not in Vegas that you need a fun partner. Second, how do you know he's _not _fun?" Abby grumped.

"Because guys like him are not what you'd call 'fun'!"

"Give him a chance, at least, Shan!" Anna cried.

Shannon sullenly looked out to the Lake Magnificent.

Nobody, including God, _ever_ listened to her.

* * *

"Hello, Shannon. Maybe you are aware, but we are required to work on a project together. So I thought, why not become friends with Shannon. Thus, here we are, with my hand outstretched, ready to clasp you smaller, prettier, lady-like fingers in a gesture of friendship. Do you concur?" he smiled gently as Shannon shook his hands a bit shortly.

_Friends. When Johnny Depp started looking uncool._

Now, before you start taking this wrongly, Shannon usually didn't have anything against the Trevors of the world. Frankly, she never noticed them, not in school, not in streets, nor in her life. They held no place in her Neatly Arranged Chic Life. None of her friends were like that, with the possible exception of Mallory Pike, but Mal was a very funny person; nothing like a boring nerd.

….Nothing like Trevor.

* * *

For some reason unknown to all the students of the world, that old habit of teachers to hand out projects didn't desert them in the Casual World of Camp either. And because Teachers (of any kind, anywhere) did not particularly find change invigorating, they had also assigned partners to work together on them.

And because teachers usually sat down in that ominous Staff Room and conspired together on how to make students' life even more miserable, Trevor and Shannon were brought together (unwilling, on her part; indifferently, on his) that sunny afternoon, when Trevor had asked Shannon to be his friend.

But to Shannon's despair, they had to meet many such afternoons like that; they had to finish their project soon and were required to _work together._

Between Shannon fretting about how much her friends would be laughing at her (or her bad luck, really)behind her back and trying to juggle in that extra time that she now had to give Trevor (when she would rather be doing **anything**), life at Camp Summerlove was very busy. So much so that the chance of a 'summer love' was negative…

* * *

It was true. Trevor did know his stuff. In fact, he knew so much about the subject of their project that they easily had about half of the matter of the project already. The rest of the matter, they had to, of course, look up, but if Shannon were to admit it (when she'd rather die than) she enjoyed doing it. Especially with Trevor. But, shh! Keep this a secret, it's one she would carry to her grave.

But she _did!_ And it was because Trevor adored Astronomy. And since he loved it, he made others be a little bit interested in it (what is _so_ crazy about it, you think, as you inch towards something he's pointing at, all the while jumping like Tiger). So, Shannon, who was already very much keen on the stars and their study, found herself matching his enthusiasm step by step. Right-forward, Left-back. And HOP!

She sometime wondered whether the people around them thought they were speaking Latin (and whether she had converted to Geekism with him… Uh oh) But when they started, it was hard to stop. They talked of nothing but Astronomy and the subject of their project. In fact, the only other thing said were pleasantries being exchanged.

They were, truly and honestly, Astronomy partners; not friends. Shannon wouldn't let them be anything but. She was afraid what anything else could become.

* * *

Trevor Melbourne may have been nothing more than a brainy geek to Shannon but, to his parents, he was a certainly a cause of pride and worry. Pride, because of his achieving success in everything that he did and worry, because though he attended an awful lot of extra-circular activities, he had no friends. He didn't 'hang out' with guys, didn't do what normal teenagers did (though they were certainly very thankful that he didn't seem to be inclined to drink or take drugs, like _the kids these days_.)

Of the many clubs that Trevor had joined, one was music. Trevor was an avid music lover and particularly good at the guitar; of any kind, it didn't matter. You name it, he can play it. And like Astronomy, he was such an enthusiast that Anna Stevenson simply had to stop examining the violin after which she'd been lusting after (the prize of the music competition to be held at the end of Camp) and walk over to him where he was playing diligently. She listened to him, mesmerized, appreciating, probably for the first time in her life, the guitar. She told him so.

"Why is that so?" he asked quizzically.

She laughed embarrassedly. "well, because, guitar's really evolved from the violin and violin is so much more pleasant to the ear whereas guitar, especially electric guitar, is just noise. Yet, people are more interested in the guitar than in the violin" she exclaimed matter-of-factly.

Trevor frowned and stopped playing.

"Guitar has not evolved from the violin. They are string instruments, of course, but…they are not the same. And I wouldn't say people are more interested in the guitar than in violin. Everybody's got a different taste, so is it fair, would you say, to make your judgment so hastily?" He concluded.

"But violin is considered boring; guitar's not." Anna pointed out.

Someone sure didn't mince her words, Trevor thought, amazed.

"Actually, that's because guitar's been brought main stream whereas violin is still concentrated to the classical. I mean to say, you practice Beethoven, I practice anything, it could even be Britney Spears."

Anna had to admit what he said held some truth and so asked him if there were any way people's perception could be changed. After all, the violin was anything but boring.

"Well, all violinists have to do is to play more mainstream. After all, it's not necessary that an art would become mutated just because people of mass, and not just class, like it. Guitar has not been mutated; it's evolved and gotten better." Trevor pointed out.

"True, I suppose. Maybe someday it could happen."

"Maybe you could be the one to bring about that change." Trevor smiled.

Anna smiled coyly, "Have I introduced myself? Anna Stevenson. And you'd be?"

"Trevor Melbourne, please to make your acquaintance." He shook her hand. "Have you ever tried to play the violin in sync with the guitar?" Anna shook her head.

"Let's try, then."

And that day, two people met and played the most beautiful language, that of love: Music. They played with passion that comes out of doing something you love. And if the world had more people feeling that passion more, perhaps this world could have been a better place…

_______________________________

Author's Note: Well that is it for now, folks. How did you like it? I cannot be sure how many chapters this story has, but I know this: I will finish all the chapters and then post them. I don't want to repeat my past mistakes :[ Anyway, how did you find it? PLEASE tell me? Thanks, and if there's anything that you think needs to be improved, don't hesitate in telling me. Ok?

Love,

Ginny.

**Based on Love Story by Katharine McPhee.**


	2. Bourne Together

**Chapter Two: **_**Bourne Together**_

Disclaimer: The song on which it is based as well as the story does not belong to me. This story is purely a work of fiction.

* * *

"He's not that bad." The magazine said--

Shannon swiveled to look at the book confusedly. "Sorry?"

"Trevor. He can be a lot of fun." Anna peeked out from behind _Musical Medleys. _She then got up briskly and throwing aside her magazine, walked towards Shannon.

"What do you mean?" Shannon asked her, still looking mystified, though now admittedly a bit irate as well.

"Well, I talked to him and he isn't bad at all. In fact he--"

She was cut short by a curt, "when did you meet him?"

"This morning; in the music class." She explained, seeing her best friend open her mouth to ask her next question.

"And he can be quite a fun to talk to you know." the brunette continued.

Shannon looked dubious. She could not decided what to say next, so she decided to play it safe and ask, "what did you talk about?"

"Oh, music at first. Then singers; after that, instruments. He's quite knowledgeable, you know, told me a lot of stuff I didn't know about string instruments. _And_ he can play a mean guitar."

"Guitar, huh." Shannon repeated interestedly.

"Yeah," Anna grinned, encouraged, "says he's into many clubs: likes to keep himself busy."

"Oh, that is _so _typically--" Shannon scoffingly began.

"Like you." Anna finished unexpectedly.

"What do you mean?"

"He's a lot like you. He likes to do many activities, so do you. He adores Astronomy- as do you. He plans to probably be a scientist in NASA-" she then pointed her clasped hands towards Shannon as if to say "you do too"

"And what's his sun sign? You probably know that too." Shannon said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"You should give him a chance. Let him become your friend. I think you'll like him. Goodness knows you need to have more friends…" Anna smiled in her motherly way, her voice reminding Shannon of the times gone by; she was the six year old scared of Santa and Anna, her encouraging, consoling mother that seemed far away somewhere now...

_It's ok, darling he won't hurt you._

_But that white beard is scary, mommy, I don't wanna go!_

_But it's all right sweetie. Go on now; make your wish. What do you want for Christmas?_

Friends. Shannon opened her eyes.

Shannon looked at Anna for a moment and then turned her gaze to the handkerchief in her hand, gulping.

Maria had embroidered '_Mom luvs Dad' _into it, in some desperate hope that it really would come true; as if her sewing held magic and their parents would all of a sudden love each other again, just because she had sewed so….

Their last wedding anniversary.

It had been a tense affair; seeing their parents struggle to get along and remain friendly, if only for their children's sake.

They were trying very hard.

Maybe Shannon could make an effort too.

* * *

Brown canvas shoes, brown-red polyester pants, blue shirt, tucked neatly inside. Black hair, slicked back with too much gel and bespectacled eyes. A benign smile greeted the stretched a bit-too-wide, white all-American grin. A frown replaced the half-hearted smirk. Then, pink Abercrombie dress, two inch heels, blonde curls with rosy pink lips once again gave Mr Benign a grin. A real one this time.

And enjoyed his surprised.

_Everybody deserved a chance._

"Hello, Shannon"

"Hey, there Trevor."

"Shall we proceed?"

"Where to?"

"The country fair."

Scrreeeech. Pause.

The country fair?

-----

Ok, so here she was at the country fair. …Shannon really shouldn't have befriended Anna; that girl made her too emotional. Look where emotions had led her to.

The country fair.

Shannon did not consider herself a snob. She frequently visited the local restaurants with her friends (ok, Anna and Kristy) but, as she looked around, it seemed that she had reached an all time low.

_The country fair_.

To describe it would be like writing a 7th grade essay; it would use all the clichés. The country fair was _full of bustling people_ and a huge _merry-go-around_ loomed over the _pink candy flosses and roller coasters _(Shannon felt sick just looking at them). _Stalls of food and games_ were everywhere. Wherever she looked, she saw _people laughing, playing games and talking loudly and excitedly._

Was it surprising? In a clichéd way, yes.

Well, she was already surprised that she had _agreed_ to be seen with Trevor in public. (_What _had she been thinking?)

Then, she was surprised by Trevor for taking her not to some restaurant or mall to hang out but to a country fair.. But then again, she didn't even know why she surprised.

And then, to make this day be officially known as the _Day of Surprises_, the fair itself astonished her.

First of all, it had loads of young people hanging out there, and not old men and women wearing long dresses, haggling over chickens.

Secondly, it had some great food to eat. The veggie burgers were absolutely sumptuous - a fact Shannon appreciated, being a vegan herself.

"You are a vegetarian?" Trevor asked incredulously.

"Yes," Shannon replied consciously. "So?"

"Well so am I!" He grinned and nodded enthusiastically. "Shake, buddy!"

He laughed as he wrangled her hand furiously.

"Any particular reason? Shannon inquired, tucking her hand away safely.

"Well, I think that killing of animals for the sake of our food is extremely unpleasant." He said matter-of-factly.

Shannon's mouth fell open, "you do not! I think so too!"

"No, indeed, I do! It is just, well, in the time of early man, we didn't _have_ a choice since we didn't know agriculture. Now, not only are we agronomically advanced, but there is no scarcity of food, at least here. All we need to do is run to the nearest grocery store and we have all the nutritious food we need!"

"I totally agree! And ok, in places like forests and stuff, where don't have any other choice then I suppose there is nothing you can do. But here, we have all the good, whole veggies so why kill animals?"

"And do you know, vegetarian food is not only easier to digest, it's better for you too. Meat, especially red meat, piles up garbage in your system and then it starts rotting there. Which gives out terrible smell." Trevor nodded in his encyclopedic manner.

" Oh, eww! Stop that! I talked to Dawn, my friend? About this stuff? And she completely agrees. She said that meat wears out your teeth sooner too." Shannon said.

"But veggies give your face a glow. Hmm, so _now _I know the secret behind your glow!' Trevor laughed.

"Please…" Shannon blushed.... Blush? Pshaw! Of _course_ not. It was just the heat; the fair was hot.

"Well, finally something we both passionately agree upon." Trevor leaned back in his chair and looked amazed.

Shannon put down her fork. "Well, there is also something else. Astronomy. I mean, I totally love that subject."

"As do I." Trevor exclaimed, looking even more surprised. "I even dream of being an astronaut someday. There, I said it…" he revealed a bit sheepishly.

"Me too. Well, maybe a scientist. I am not sure yet. And of course, for NASA."

"NASA is the goal indeed."

"But, you know, when I join NASA, I'll introduce some new thinking and open mindedness there." She shared with him her Martian theory.

Trevor looked intrigued, "Well. I never thought about it like that, but I must say, it's a pretty good idea. I don't think it could even have occurred to most people…"

Shannon blushed (not _blush, no_! She thought dispiritedly) and grinned coyly, "loving Science has taught me to think out-of-the-box."

"Of course. A necessity. Otherwise we would be simply be chimpanzees- perhaps prettier." Trevor pointed out.

"Or uglier, depending on the chimp's POV. " Shannon smirked.

Trevor grinned, his eyes crinkling behind his glasses.

'_Bourne together…'_

The third thing Shannon discovered was that the fair was actually quite a lot of fun. The games and the rides and the music were 'extremely enjoyable'. Especially if you were in a fun company.

That was the last thing Shannon found out: Trevor Melbourne could be a lot of fun.

He didn't care. Not for anybody's opinion of him or whether somebody was making fun of him. Shannon, who had brought up to always look presentable--in case somebody happened to see you, found his notions of not caring at all of how he looked strange. They seemed bizarre, for Shannon was a girl who was taught: _It mattered what _**they**_ thought_.

But when she stopped and thought about it, who _were_ 'they'?

"No, A thousand times, no."

"Please? It would not be very enjoyable to go on alone." Trevor pleaded.

"I can't, OK?" Shannon declared.

"But why?"

"Because I-I…" Shannon darted her eyes around and gazed down at the ground. "I am scared of roller coasters." Laughter is only two seconds away from his mouth, Shannon thought miserably, peeking out uncertainly from underneath her eyelashes. He was looking at her thoughtfully.

"Well, don't you watch _Fear Factor? _You get rid of your fears by facing them." He said, puffing out his puny chest and deepening his voice.

"Well, I am no _Fear Factor _contestant. I haven't got a body that's on those girls anyway" Shannon laughed nervously, footing the sand with her pink heels.

"What're you talking about?" You look marvelous physically." He darted a look at the rides, which had just arrived from an escapade around the tracks. "Come on, we don't have much time. Just once. For me?"

Shannon looked at the laughing, shaking people as they got out of the cart.

"I spoil my dress by puking on it- you'd have to buy me a new one." She warned him.

"Two." He agreed generously.

"Ok, the--" before she could finish, she was yanked forward as he rushed to buy the tickets.

"What are you doing?" Trevor's voice asked quizzically.

Shannon didn't look up from her clasped hands and kept mumbling to herself, her blonde curls bowed.

"Are you praying?" Trevor asked incredulously as he adjusted his handle bar.

Shannon only nodded.

"I…see." Trevor said, looking a bit amused.

The Death Ride inched upwards, slowly, slowly…

"Oh, oh, oooooooooh," Shannon moaned, her eyes squeezed shut tightly.

"It'll be OK!" Trevor cried, starting to raise his hands.

"Oh, no, oh ,no, oh no, no, no--naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" She screamed, her hands flying to her handle bars, knuckles turning white as the cart hurled down the tracks at a break-neck speed.

To her horror, the freak next to her started laughing insanely. Had Shannon's eyes been open, she would have seen the Lunatic waving his hands as well.

"I am soooooooory!" she screamed to nobody in particular.

Well...Maybe it _wasn't_ Trevor who was the lunatic.

"Never again. Never, never a-again," she gasped as she stumbled out of the cart, her hands trying to steady her knees.

Trevor grinned at her and bounced energetically around her. "I was about to buy tickets again."

"NO!" she cried, and talking his arms underneath hers, she marched him off as far as she could get from the Horror Machines.

Enough adventurous for the day.

* * *

As Shannon made her way back home, she thought about the events that had occurred that day. She had fun, no doubt. And with Trevor too. She halted suddenly. Shannon Kilbourne had fun with _Trevor Melbourne_? With a geek? _Nobody _had fun with them, except for…geeks. Did that…make Shannon a geek too…?

She stared at the bark of the tree in front of her. Someone had carved 'K3M" there. (Well, really! They are bent on destroying trees!)

She didn't really care, she found, not about what people thought; not today at least. She couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so carefreely and had so much abandoned fun, without caring about _others. _And for once, living for herself.

As it should be lived, she knew.

And for all his Geekism, Trevor really was hilarious. Oh, the jokes he cracked! Shannon felt a smile creep on face as she remembered his impersonation of Mr. Nelson.

Remembering what he said…

_Bourne Together…_

--------------

**Author's Note:**

**Well, well, mon amie. How do you find it? OK? Bad? Well, I'll improve, as anybody who's read my past stories would agree. So. My usual plea: Review? Your reviews mean more than you can EVER know. Believe me. They give me the inclination to continue with my scribbles. So...guys? Reviews? LOL.**

**Love, and never care about what others think of you,**

**Ginny**


	3. I Am Special

Chapter Three: **I Am Special**

Disclaimer: Not mine, nu-uh. This story is, I mean, but not the song.

Once again: **Katharine McPhee's Love Story**.

* * *

_Don't compromise yourself. You are all you've got. _

Janis Joplin

* * *

"Where were you yesterday?" Anna asked Shannon the next day during French class.

"I was at a country fair." Shannon replied, trying to remember what 'jusque' meant. French quizzes are not fun, she grumped, sighing forlornly to herself.

"Country fair? Doing…what? I called you like, 10,000 times yesterday. Why didn't you pick up?"

"Yes. I saw your _five_ missed calls," she rolled her eyes pointedly, "I was with Trevor."

"Trevor!" Anna exclaimed.

Shannon saw Trevor's shoulders stiffen a tad bit. Hmm, he seemed to know what 'jusque' meant; he had a full page written neatly in front of him.

_Quiz toppers…_

"Shh. Yes, so what's the big deal?" Shannon hissed at her best friend.

"I thought you didn't want to be seen with him?" Anna whispered back.

"But I don't! That was just an exception!"

"Really?" Anna raised her eyebrows.

"Yes! Really! Now, if you can, tell me what 'jusque' means.""I don't help cheat." Anna gritted her teeth, snatching her paper away from her openmouthed friend.

Jusque could mean 'just'.

Rasing an eyebrow, Shannon scribbled her hunch down, hiding her answer from Grucho Marx.

* * *

"Hey buddy." Trevor greeted her later that day in Astronomy class, bouncing towards her. Well, he has done well in the quiz, hasn't he, he can bounce around all he wants: dour thoughts are hard to prevent .

"Heya, Trevor." Shannon half grumped, half sighed, plopping on her chair.

"What's wrong?" He asked, concerned.

"Oh nothing. Just a bit of tiff with my friend, Anna. Nothing really," she said, shooing the matter away with her hands.

"Anna's a wonderful girl. Don't get depressed. Fights between friends are normal." He said, trying in vain to console.

"Yeah…that's true. Well, what have we here? An Astronomy chart?" Shannon picked up the black chart, surveying it, giving it all her attention.

"Yes. You see, this would be vital for our project." As Trevor blabbered on, Shannon stared at him, feeling…strange.

After a few moments of contemplation, she realised it was warmth. She was deeply touched that he cared enough to ask her what was wrong simply by seeing her a bit upset.

Not many people did that.

Not many _friends_ did that.

* * *

"Hey," Shannon said softly to Anna later that evening.

Anna grunted.

"Aww, come on. You can't still be angry!"

"What's she angry with you for?" Abby asked, strolling in her soccer uniform.

"Just…I don't even know. I think I asked her what 'jusque' meant during the French quiz and she just got angry and refused to show it to me…."

"Cheating, Shan. Bad girl, baaad." Abby wagged her finger at her, "Oh and by the way, 'jusque' means 'until'" Abby laughed obnoxiously, her cackles hurting Shannon's ears today.

"Yes, whatev. So. I know she's angry with me. I just don't know _why. _"

"I am upset with you," Anna broke her silence at last "because of your hypocritical attitude."

"Moi?" Shannon cried, relieved that she had finally spoken to her.

"Yes you don't want to be seen with 'geeks' but with Trevor, it's 'an exception'. Either you change your attitude towards him, or you change your attitude, period."

"You can't tell me what to do." Shannon said rudely.

"I can tell you where you're going wrong, as you friend. In fact, I _must"_

Shannon stared at the twins, nonplussed.

Anna sighed, "don't you see? What you always said you'd do; broaden people's minds, help them to think beyond the certain…but you're falling to the age-old trap yourself. You think some people are 'cool' and some are not. But tell me, have you ever thought _what _makes a person cool?"

Shannon gawked at her. "I know ok?"

"Yeah? What?" her prosecutor (of recent) asked, crossing her arms.

"It…" Shannon spread her hands apart, licking her lips, thinking furiously. "It…it is behaviour. I mean, some things are just tacky." She laughed nervously. "Like, how can somebody who wears blue with green be cool?"

"But didn't you say it was behaviour?" Anna narrowed her eyes, "since when is wearing mismatched colours behavioral?"

The temperature raised itself from the ground just a bit, red and angry at being awakened so soon.

In the background, Abby watched them as if watching a game of Ping Pong. But the ball was burning out as they played, leaving the bats smoking.

Shannon laughed even more nervously, "why am I being subjected to 20 Questions all of a sudden? Today, of all days too. What is wrong with you all of a sudden, Anna?"

Anna shook her head disappointedly.

"You need to examine your philosophies and ideas, Shan." With that, Anna, her _best friend _but now somebody whose talks frightened her, left her, feeling confused and in turmoil.

Shannon stood there, feeling confused and worried. Anna spoke as if speaking Spanish; the words Shannon heard but could not understand. But she could if she just studied it more.

Boy, best friends are indeed your very worst enemies.

* * *

She knew Anna made a good point. But she could not understand how she was a hypocrite. It was true, wasn't it, that Trevor was not the coolest guy in the world, but he was funny and friendly. But he was OK to be hanging around with since he was a good guy, really. And not _very _socially awkward. And he was a true friend.

So why didn't he have friends? And did that mean it didn't matter if she became his friend and hung out with him publicly? Questions today raised themselves as if arising after a deep long slumber; awkward and groggy, not very clear.

But clear them, Shannon must…

* * *

"Hi, Trevor." Shannon said softly to a very surprised Trevor; she had never visited his room before.

"H-hi. How're you?" He asked, still bewildered and nervous.

Shannon smiled wryly. "Can I come in?"

"Oh. Sure, sure. Of course." He said, leading her in.

Trevor's room.

Not a place she thought she would ever be looking at, not had she particularly anticipated either. But here she was. And very--oh cliché-- surprised.

It was white with planets and stars painted all over them. A huge poster of Nova Bulla was covering the back of his bedroom door. A big window on the right wall was thrown open and underneath it was a loveseat which was covered by many of his thick Astronomical books.

It was very neat--neater than her room. And it held an aura as if calling her to itself; roomy and bright and so beautiful.

Yes, Shannon was definitely surprised.

"I was researching our project." Trevor explained as he saw Shannon glance at them.

"You're very hardworking." Shannon remarked quietly as she slid in his study chair, carefully avoiding the window.

"No, I just like Astronomy." Trevor smiled as he curled up on the loveseat underneath the window.

He took in her pale, drawn face and long mouth. He felt a sudden impulse to reach out and smooth her unusually disheveled hair. He contended with asking, "what's up?"

Up? Shannon sighed. She had come to him because she felt he could somehow, _somehow_ tell her how and where she was going wrong. Coming here, she had to wonder herself what was. His world seemed so comfortable and cozy, everything arranged, nothing wrong.

Hers, on the other hand….

"Anna's furious with me." She croaked, her eyes welling up.

"Why?" Trevor asked softly.

"She hasn't talked to me since yesterday morning, and that was coldly too: 'pass the marmalade', she'd said frostily. That is not normal. We usually can't live apart without talking an hour. And now she…" Shannon's voice broke.

Trevor looked at her helplessly; he tried patting her head but couldn't reach properly.

"Friends are precious to me. Haven't had one before, see." A bit of her hair slid out of her ponytail and hid her eyes, as if trying to hide their tears and shame.

"Me, I was always the popular girl. I never had any dearth of attention. I thought that was what every girl really wanted. But no, what one really needs is a friend, a _true_ friend, not those fake yuppies who pretended to be my friend so that they could be 'popular' too…" Shannon continued; her heart spilling everything she had wanted to say to somebody for so long but nobody was ever present there, and when they were they could not understand, like Anna. And now he was, holding a goblet underneath the waterfall of her sorrow, her regrets, his eyes saying to her that he would listen, he would understand.

"The popular girls. They are supposed to be evil, emotionless, dumb. At least that is how it is supposed to be in the movies, that's what they think. That all of them are arrogant." She was silent for a moment. "I never wanted to be that. I studied, tried to get good grades, did everything I could, tried to made my parents proud. Tried to be a good person. But I failed." She whispered, her voice dropping until Trevor had to strain to catch her words.

"Yes, I failed. Because I wanted to be different but I…thought in that same way. Thought in that same stereotypical way from which I had tired to run. _I tried to be different." _she covered her face with her hands. "My best friend says I am a hypocrite. A narrow-minded person. And she never lies. But how can the truth be everything I tried my hardest _not _to be? Is that it? Are you all that you are based on how you look?" She started rocking tearfully, her face cherry red.

Trevor knelt in front of her and removed her hands from her face.

"Listen to me. I know what not having friends is like. I know what being judged by you looks is like." Shannon stared at him silently, her colour slowly receding.

"I am, what do they call it? A 'geek'. Because I am not that good-looking? Because I care about my studies? Because I don't dress fashionably enough for them? Is that why? People make fun of me, call me boring without even knowing me," (Shannon gulped). "All because I do not equal their standards of 'perfect'. But I don't want to be perfect! I just want to be me. And I _love_ myself, with all my flaws and shortcomings, because I know I am not perfect, but then I also know that just being imperfect is cool." He smiled lightly at the pun. He clutched her hands and squeezed them, "You comprehend? And if they brand me a 'nerd' or a 'geek' because of it, then they can go ahead. It's _my _life and not theirs. I will do what I want; I cannot live as they want me to because it does not make me happy. If being a geek is happiness, then glory be to geekism!"

"But don't you miss friends?" Shannon asked wistfully.

"Man is a social creature; so I too, of course crave company. But that does not mean I'll compromise myself. They have to be friends with me, geek and all." He shrugged slowly; his eyes speaking more than his mouth, telling her things that had she never found but had sought all her life.

"I wish I could be like you." Shannon sighed finally.

"Though it's very flattering, don't be like anybody but yourself. Shannon, you should be proud of who you are. You are intelligent, creative, funny and most of all, you care about others. Not many people do. You will always get good friends. Not because you are pretty but because you deserve them."

The way he said it. As if it were as true as the Bible. And she believed him. Because he, like Anna, never lied. But now she knew it was the absolute truth because the Shannon in her told her it was.

He had explained something to her that Anna could not properly: Just be yourself.

-----

"Where were you?" Ana cried as soon as she saw Shannon. Remembering what had happened the last time she had answered that, Shannon kept mum and silently deposited her books on her bed.

"So where were you?" Anna demanded.

"You're talking to me now?" Shannon said, raising her eyebrows.

Sighing, Anna plopped down on Shannon's bed.

"I am sorry." She said.

"For what?" Shannon cried.

"For being so horrible. It's just, I was trying to tell you something but I could not, not properly anyway. So I got frustrated and started getting nasty with you…"

"But I know what you meant, at least now I do," Shannon said softly as she laid her hand on Anna's much whiter ones.

"You do?" Anna asked, looking confused.

"Yes; ok, you meant to say that I should be myself. But the thing is, I just never understood it despite you always telling me that. I spent all my life thinking about what they would think, never realizing that it didn't matter. All that mattered was what I thought of myself. Because if I am not happy, then no matter how much anybody else, I would never be satisfied!"

Anna blinked.

"You really did some heavy thinking didn't you?"

"Nah, it was a friend who knocked it into me." Shannon grinned at Anna, opening her arms.

After big self-realizing fights like these, if friends don't hug, then they must certainly be from Mars. And, my dear readers, our girls were not green from any angle, and so it was just right that they hugged.

A big bear hug at that.

With a tearful promise of 'best friends forever'.

Forever.

****

_Author's Note: Do you ever get bored of author blabbering on and on like that? I do sometimes. I just wish they would shut up and concentrate on the story. So. I will do just that._

_But just…How did you find it? Review please? =) People, I KNOW they say count your blessing but…? _

_Loads and loads and truck full of adoration to those who HAVE bothered reviewing, because YOUR comments have made me feel that, ok, maybe I should continue with this story. So, deepest, best meant thank YOU!!!! =D_

_Love,_

_Gin_


	4. Sanatorium for Broken Hearts

**Chapter four: ****Sanatorium for Broken Hearts**

* * *

"Hey," Shannon called out gaily as she walked into the Dining Room- their camp's Mess- later that day, arm in arm with her BFF.

Abby turned, the familiar face breaking into a grin as she characteristically bounced towards them.

"You're happy! So is the Cold War over then?" Abby squealed, looking at them.

"Yep," Anna smile, daintily seating herself.

"Shannon, get me a piece of chocolate cake, yoghurt and salad," Anna ordered.

"Yes, Sire." Shannon murmured mockingly.

Abby raised her eyebrows ridiculously.

"You wouldn't get it." Anna said to her twin dismissively.

So Shannon went to get Her Highness' desired order, and like the good girl that she was, she coquettishly smiled at a boy, winking at him as he let her have his place.

"Well, never seen this side of Ms. Kilbourne," Trevor's back said to her.

Shannon looked up at him, surprised, and tapping him on the shoulder, said, "Hey! What are you doing here?"

"Getting food. Have you ever tried that?" Trevor grinned, turning his head towards her.

"Haha, very funny."

"So…do you regularly do that?" Trevor enquired.

"Do what?"

"Trap poor boys with your pretty smile so that you could hog their place?"

"Not usually…" Shannon smiled coyly--and suggestively.

"Ah…" Trevor nodded, turning his head away.

"Looking nice today." Shannon grinned.

"Really?" Trevor asked, his eyes getting strange.

"'Course." Shannon's grin now turning Cheshire cat's twin.

"It's unusually hot here, isn't it" He tugged at his collar, passion red, clearing his throat and resolutely avoiding her eyes.

Whoa. Was it just her or was he blushing?

* * *

"You will not believe what just happened!" Shannon called out, laughter floating in her voice before the actual sound.

"What?" Abby yawned.

"I made Trevor blush…." Shannon sang out as she bounced-sat herself next to Anna.

"You shouldn't go around pulling out young boys' belts, dahlin," Abby cackled.

Anna, on the other hand, looked at her suspiciously, "what did you do? …Oh no, you really didn't pull his belt, did you?"

It was decided that day: Anna would make one of those anxious mums who are overly concerned about the states of their children's socks.

"No!" Shannon laughed, "No way. That is something Abby would enjoy, seeing the poor young men, clutching their pants, and whisking away red faced." Shannon fluttered her eyelashes towards the accused as Abby protested, "Never. No way. Or, well, wait. I did do that once…" And as her friend went into a deep trance about that (good) time when she did do something so immaturely naughty, Shannon explained her outburst: "I made Trevor blush by smiling at him."

"He…blushed?" Abby said, confusedly raising her eyebrows, after fully having enjoyed the men's embarrassment in her imagination; poor them, and they had hoped to win Abby' permanently reserved heart.

"How did you smile at him?" Anna asked the same time; she knew Shannon simply too well to know her to be so innocent.

"Oh…just a bit--shyly." Shannon replied nonchalantly, finding the white goo on her plate more interesting all of a sudden.

"Why were you flirting with him?" Anna asked, raising half an eyebrow dangerously.

"I wasn't---"

"Oh my gosh! That's it! That's it! Shannon likes Trevor!" Abby exclaimed in her grand way that usually made skeptics raise their eyebrows or roll their eyes. But that's because they didn't know Abby's exclamations and how harmless they were.

This one, however proved to be more fatal than bargained for.

This one made Shannon sincerely wished she had never opened her mouth.

But corrections had to be made where they were due:

"Now. First of all, I didn't flirt with him. And even if I did smile in a bit dally manner--not consciously, mind you--so what? It was just in good fun!" Shannon cried warmly, then lowering her voice, all the while scanning the room, hissed, "And I do _not_ like Trevor!"

Before Anna could say anything, Abby cut in with, "but that's it, see? A normal person would laugh it away but _Trevor_, he would obviously blush because he likes you. So if you flirt with him, he sees it as you liking him back, which obviously flusters him since he can't believe that you could possibly like him back!" Abby grinned breathlessly.

"Please---" Shannon began; but as nobody that day was in a particular courteous mood, Anna interrupted with, "That's a possibility."

Distracted, Shannon whirled towards her all-of-a-sudden crazed friends and shout-whispered, "What!"

"Yeah. I mean, why not? I always got the vibe that he had feelings for you. The way he looked at you and all…"Anna thoughtfully looked at the checked shirt victim as he neatly emptied his plate into the bin.

"But if she doesn't like him back, it wouldn't be the first time." Abby smirked.

Mad Hatter, Alice and the March Hare sat in silence for a minute, each pondering the possibility. Mad Hatter enjoyed it and indulged herself in a scenario of little Trevvys and Shannies running around in diapers; Alice wondered about the insanity of this world, wondering why she wasn't surprised after all she had seen; and March Hare sighed for her ailing friend who clearly was wounded by another adult male in her life.

Presently the bell rang, clanging the three out of their reverie.

"…You are mad." Shannon shook her tray in the bin, spilling half its content outside. "You all are reading too much into this thing. It was just a stupid blush…not a love declaration," she trailed away softly; however contradicting it with the bang of her tray on the metal table.

It was hard for her friends to decipher the expression as she ethereally floated away to her classes- the blank, serene expression on her face making matters unclear and mystifying, but of one fact Abby was sure: "I love match-making."

* * *

"Hello there, mon amie!" Trevor grinned as he removed his bag for Shannon to sit in the Astronomy class that day.

"Hi," Shannon smiled softly, the sunshine shining cheerfully behind her.

Trevor caught his breath and hacked uncomfortably, "well, this is our second-to-last Astronomy class."

"So it is." Shannon slowly flipped her notebook over and again in her hands.

"And camp's about to end in a week." Trevor continued, hesitant.

"Hmm."

"You will be going back to Stoneybrook, then?"

"Uh-huh. And you, to New York?"

"Yes," he looked at his hands, "you'll keep in contact?"

"Of course. You will reply?"

Trevor nodded, reddening.

"I think I'll miss you." Shannon whispered moving her hand forward to find his.

Trevor held his hands behind his back like a prisoner in handcuffs.

Shannon blinked, and leaned away from him hastily.

Friends don't act that way.

And friends were all they shall remain.

-------

_The boy you never wanted_

_Just steals your heart_

_I never saw it coming_

…_Till I fell so hard._

Stanzas that haunted her dreams, hour after hour, dream after dream. She saw Juliet sing to Romeo, the stars to the moon, the carpet to the dust; her mother to her father; the butterfly to the flower; and she to…

She woke up.

"I have a problem." Shannon mumbled to Anna.

"What is it, dear?" Anna asked, setting aside her violin.

"I am...feeling weird." Shannon briefly glanced at Abby.

"Abby darling. Could you excuse us for a minute, please?" Anna asked, enjoying playing mother.

"You wish!" Abby scoffed, firmly throwing herself on the couch.

"Abby…"

Sighing, Abby slowly crawled to the door and left, but not without giving both of them her worst, most evil fisheye.

"So what's it?" Anna asked anxiously.

"I have been feeling bizarre for a couple of days. I mean, I blush when I shouldn't; smile when I wouldn't. I feel happy one second and utterly mortified the other. When I near him, it's like I am near the sun. I feel the sunshine; but I feel the intense heat too. That wasn't how it used to be. We were friends. Good friends. But now, all of a sudden, all there remains is a strange anxiousness and awkwardness. I hate it but I can't do anything about it. We went to Taco Bell last night and neither of us really talked. Not even about Astronomy. Oh, it kills me!" Shannon tumbled into a chair, her head in her hands.

Anna was quiet for a moment.

"You like him then?"

"I can't!"

"Why not?"

"Because he's not my type."

"Uh huh."

"No seriously. We are friends and that's all we are ever going to be."

"But you obviously--"

"No way, Jose. I've been watching too many of those love stories with the boy-girl friendship theme. Psh. Naw." Shannon waved his thought away, as if it were some irksome fly that could be swished away with her scorn.

"Well. I must go to Astronomy now. Tata, amiga!" Shannon left her best friend in a flurry of forced cheerful words and extreme tumult, her steps hasty as if afraid Anna may reveal something she wouldn't be able to bear.

As if haste and scorn had ever scared Trouble away.

No, Trouble was like that devil that wouldn't let go. Trouble on mission is, well, a trouble.

So fasten your seatbelts.

Trouble has just boarded the Killyou Airways.

* * *

Shannon knew that everything in life could be controlled. Including one's self and heart. And as she set for Astronomy, she took out a rope and bound the red thudding idiot to herself, promising never to give it to anyone, come what may.

Though the ropes cut, she bravely walked down the corridor.

Life can be controlled.

Sad as it is, it is true.

But heart…

As she turned the corner, she heard something she certainly could not bear. You shouldn't eavesdrop, it really isn't good for you. But Shannon was helpless; Trouble had plotted it so.

"What're you doing this Saturday?" She heard a female voice breathe into somebody's ears.

"Uh, nothing." _Somebody_.

"O-kay. How about a burger in cafeteria right now? And a date this coming Saturday?" the voice cooed as Shannon caught the rustle of cloth and, peeping carefully, she saw the girl fling her arms around him.

Suzanne Crimson. Who was having the very effect as her name; Trevor was turning a deeper shade of the colour of passion by the second.

"I--I don't know. Maybe." He mumbled, nervously footing nothing.

"Great! I'll wait for you then. Bye!" And Suzanne leaned over and gave him a peck on the lips, making Trevor look like as if he were about to swoon.

Suzanne jaunted away, leaving Trevor to sigh and red glass to shatter on the path she left behind.

Oh, it's true: Nobody hears when the heart fragments to a million and one pieces.

That was not good.

Every particle in her being echoed that except the rebellious mind, which callously asked, "Why?"

"Because." Her old heart thumped; it was still busy surveying the damage and had no time for Brain's foolish questions.

Brain is called obstinate for a reason. It laughed pitilessly, "why, he has all the right to go out with any girl he wants to."

Heart found it hard to breathe; the lungs had stolen all the air, as usual. Yet it managed to gasp out: He never told me.

"Why should he?" Brain pointed out maliciously.

"Because." Heart sulked; not liking questions on its authority.

Shannon and her heart were united on one front: they hated the word 'why'.

It simply caused too many problems.

* * *

The last thing Shannon wanted right now was to face _him _but she had no choice: it was the last class of Astronomy and they had to present their project today.

So she crept in, her tail tucked, her ears flattened and her heart bloody; the bleeding would not stop.

Suzanne was nowhere to be seen.

Trevor was, looking rather red and nervous.

"Hi," he mumbled to her.

Shannon didn't say anything to him.

The ability to speak is largely connected with the heart, it is true.

Besides, her teeth were jammed together with a spicy goo called jealousy.

Perhaps the greatest irony of life is that the Heart, the machine of life, is the most fragile of all; it was like that delicate china that could not be handled carefully enough., even by mother. But it was like a woman, internally strong. It faced the most hurricanes, even more than the bladder, and it was always came out limping, but walking nevertheless.

It was valiantly trying this time as well. It had summoned all its physicians and they were working.

But the case was serious; the hot water was deeper, the claws sharper.

Alas, but broken hearts require more than mere stitches.

* * *

"Hey Shan! How's the day been?" Anna asked as she set the tray next to her, later that afternoon.

"Hearty." She mumbled.

"Mine too. I talked to Trevor during the music class today," Anna chirped, picking up her muffin; glancing sideways at Shannon, and fearing that little fear she always had for her best friend.

Shannon grunted.

"And we played together again. I am learning the guitar now. It's a lot of fun.," she laughed as Abby slid in the chair opposite to them, crossing her eyes.

"What?" Shannon asked Abby, chewing the rubber slowly. No respect for veggies. As usual.

"Tara Smith. She needs to get a grip." Abby fumed.

"What's she done now?" Anna enquired.

"What's she NOT done?" Abby cried.

"Shh…" Shannon hissed, spying the pretty brunette, hoping she had not overhead them.

"She knows Rick likes me and I am into him. Yet, she goes around flirting with him, left, right and centre just to spite me, putting all her nasty paws over him." Abby growled ferociously, stabbing her knife into the chicken as if wishing it were Tara.

"Boyfriend stealers are the worst," Shannon readily agreed, her eyes disgustedly examining the sickening spectacle occurring on the adjacent bench.

"Yeah and she---" Abby began only to be cut by Anna's loud, "Anyway, so I am pretty sure I've mastered the G chord. Trevor says I'll learn faster since I know how to play the violin." Anna waved her fork, her prawns shaking along it pathetically.

Shannon recoiled back a bit.

"He _also_ said that since he and Shannon here are finished with their Astronomy course, he is thinking of doing Latin."

"Latin?" Abby stared.

"Yes, it's a language." (Abby rolled her eyes.) "So, I asked him, why was he doing a third language? He's already doing French and Spanish."

"And German. But, Latin sounds interesting." Shannon looked up to see a ray of hope shining through.

Hallelujah.

"Oh Lord Almighty, help this poor child!" Abby cried.

"What? Why?" Shannon asked as she made her plate run for cover from the assault made by the shaking prawns on Anna's forks.

"Doing too much work is a disease, my sweet child. You do **not** need Latin. You'll never _need_ Latin."

"But it sounds like fun." Shannon feebly protested, seeing green meadows and running deer in those Latin classes. Maybe they would assign partners again?

"No wonder you and Trevor are made for each other. Geeks…" Abby shook her head in mock sorrow and horror, causing laughter and Shannon's heart to trip three steps.

"He's with Suzanne Crimson." Shannon answered too hastily, as she picked up her fork and poked at her uneaten burger.

"Is he, now?" Anna asked, interested.

"Yeah." Shannon mumbled, her eyes turning a green never seen before.

"Who's Suzanne Crimson?" Abby asked in a revolted voice.

Shannon silently pointed towards the blonde who cooing away at a red-faced Trevor at the table next to them.

"She does know checks doesn't go with stripes, doesn't she?" Abby scoffed harshly as she looked her up and down.

It was mean, but it did contribute a bandage towards the mending heart.

"Of course she doesn't," the heart thought smoothly as it put a piece to rest, tired and weary. It had a hard job to perform, and it was already beat.

The eyes weren't though. If anybody had looked into Shannon eyes' at that moment, they would have seen a cat there; for they glowed just as bright, just as green.

* * *

"You do like him. Don't you? But you just can't accept it. Because he's not your standard of ideal man." Anna voiced Shannon's insides, saying the shameful that used to be true so easily.

Shannon kneeled next to her and looked down at the blue tiled floor, feeling like Columbus on his first voyage, looking for the land but simply never finding it.

"It's hard for you, isn't it. You are such a perfectionist. You think life can be lived as it is in books and movies. But you need to understand. Life can't be lived that way. Wake up, darling. Understand that in the end it is the heart that matters. Materialistic things would get you nowhere," Anna cupped Shannon's head and spoke to her in the way her mother would have, if she had not been picking up her own broken red shards.

"You could be the most beautiful, the richest. But when it comes down to the person, goodness matters. Hearts matter. They must meet."

But to meet ,there must be faith. And Shannon could see her sailing away on a boat, taking away Trust as well.

Shannon didn't think she would ever find Faith again. But then, Surety was there and she had said to her:

All men are the same.

Amen.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Author's note: :D What can I say, I love melodrama? You all, I am so serious. Start reviewing! This is like the fourth week. Aw come on? Please? You are making me beg, sheesh, shame on you. :P

Lines mentioned: _Love Story _by Katharine McPhee, on which this story is based. :D

Adorations,

Ginny


	5. C'est Histoire D'Amour Typique

* * *

Chapter five: _C'est Histoire D'Amour Typique_

___________________________________________________________________________________

_So if you love me,_

_why'd you let me go?_

**Three years later…**

Shannon Kilbourne was a devout Romantic. She believed in rationality. Practicality was a boon. Sensibility. Realism. She was of a strong opinion that Quasimodo deserved Esmeralda. And she proclaimed that nobody should be judged by the book cover; nothing in life is as it seems. It all had layers, depth, reasons.

She had learnt, through much pain, that the inner rose outshines any thorn. And that the beauty reflected true and wide.

And so it always did; for her and the world.

* * *

Walking up the steps of her dream university, Brown, she felt a peace wrap her like a snug sweatshirt; that comfortable peace that she had fought so hard for. But underneath lay the turmoil of a hurricane; oh but nobody saw that…

She looked the same. But the change was imperceptive, for it had come inside. She was no longer a child. She had grown up. But some habits and memories never left you no matter where you fled…

Something had changed. It always did.

Taking her place in the Astronomy class, Shannon characteristically scanned the room. The aquamarines then screeched to a halt as they met a grey pair, filled with the same intelligence that had always awed her.

Somebody had once said 'Bourne together'.

It always proved true as the Bible's Word.

Trevor Melbourne's eyes said something that Shannon never understood, yet did, for matters of the eyes are not understood by the brain; the heart worked there, like the French teacher to whom the student halting pronounces the words foreign; a French could never bother.

Dark, gelled hair, checked shirts, polyester pants. Check.

He was the same as always. But something had changed.

It always did.

Shannon had left the camp without telling Trevor about it; she could not explain the things she herself barely understood, watch his romance unfold with a calm face, because it burnt her. Every single kiss, every single caress.

You must understand, like the sudden volcano eruption, love had boiled over in Shannon's young heart. And the suddenness of it had made it more effective, more long lasting, like the Devil's poison.

The lava still reddened the mirror of conscience, making it beat faster, and tell the truth. Lies made the heart burn, so she stopped a long time ago.

But the ashes, she could not blow away. They clung to her like death.

* * *

"Hey."

"Hello"

"How have you been?" How desperately he wanted to know that.

"Fine." When she was not.

"You never contacted me." When he had waited so long.

"You didn't either." She never could have.

"But you said you would miss me. Did you?" He had, so much it hurt.

"I appreciate friends." More than you would ever know.

"Why did you leave?" Liar!

"Everything has to go away sometime, Trevor." Seeing you any longer would have made her broken heart go more crimson.

"I missed you, Shan."

Shannon stiffened. Practicality. She must feel nothing.

"Have you been OK?" Trevor led her away and seated her on the garden bench.

"Why do you care?" Shannon asked impatiently; not with him, but herself. For feeling so hot and stormy. For feeling.

"I thought we were friends."

"Three years later?"

Trevor backed away, hurt.

"How's Suzanne?" Shannon asked coldly.

"Who?"

"Crimson? Suzanne Crimson? Your girlfriend?"

"Oh, _her_. I guess she is OK. Dunno."

"You care that much for your old friends?" Shivers, up and down, down and up in her body, like a fever.

"Friends who don't care for you are not worth remembering." Trevor said shortly.

Shannon remained silent.

"I thought she liked me--but she was simply playing around with me. I was her latest toy…" Trevor looked up at the setting sun that Shannon had been apparently admiring all the while, with a fresh interest ; how ironic, sunsets were always beautiful, always calm: then why was her sunset so harsh?

Shannon looked at the grey sky, reflecting his eyes. She looked at the dark green grass and felt like running away. There was nothing to say to Trevor-- there hadn't been then. There wasn't now.

And she just wanted to be left alone, wrapped in her cocoon. She didn't want any flowers for which she would have to become a butterfly.

My dear reader, that is how typical love stories end. There is no happy ending in real life.

It is true. Ask the Kilbourne's heart. It never lied. Because lying burnt.

But don't get up yet, stretch and yawn. A remnant of this saga remains.

* * *

"How have you been?"

"Avoiding you."

"Why?"

"When I find out, I assure you, you will be first to know."

"Do you know now?"

"Of course not. If I did, then I would have let you known."

"You didn't tell me anything for three years. You have been doing the same for the past six months, Shan. How can I trust you?"

"The way my mum did my father."

"Then I would wind up getting hurt."

"So you too know about the infamous Mr and Mrs Kilbourne's divorce?"

"Shannon, talk to me…You know you can't avoid me forever." He caught hold of her arm and looked at her, trying to make her understand. But it was as if Shannon were somewhere far away and all she saw was her father hurting her mother. Hurting that twenty years of trust.

"Why can't I?" She threw at him defiantly as she wriggled her arm out of his grip.

"What's wrong with you?" Trevor pleaded, his eyes anxious; his heart beating with a fear that he himself could not explain. People did change. Circumstances made them change.

"Everything. And that's not even the saddest part." Shannon threw him a dead look and stalked off, carrying with her, her books, an empty shell and a broken heart.

----

"Shannon. I talked to Anna. You liked me?"

The way he said it, like it was the easiest thing to do, like it didn't make Time screech to a halt and curse the harried air.

"Yes." She was finished with love and lies; irony: both were synonyms of each other.

Always remember, lies did more than just make noses grow longer. They killed.

She and her mother had died enough.

"Why didn't you tell me?" The quietness was almost eerie in Trevor's voice.

"What could I tell you? I like you, I like YOU, **no, **I LOVE YOU. When you were panting after that Crimson? When all of you are the same, caring about that one thing?" Shannon laughed mirthlessly, hurting his ears, making them bleed.

"But…"

"Goodbye, Trevor."

----

As Shannon slipped in her seat, she noticed a white slip of paper resting on her chair. Delicately, she picked it up and read:

_Dear Shannon,_

_I don't know what to say. To be honest, this is the fourth time I am rewriting this. I want to tell you everything perfectly--something that has always been missing from both our lives for far too long. I suppose you are angry with me. I…didn't try to hurt you deliberately. I really didn't. I just never realized, or dare to, I think, believe. I know you were never thrilled to have me as your Astronomy partner, that summer three years ago. I never showed any hurt. I didn't see any point in it; it is the way it always has been and perhaps shall always be. We all are judged by our look, I thought._

_But then, after that fight of yours with Anna, I thought you had changed. I thought you starting thinking about the facet of a person that truly mattered; I hoped you had stopped stereotyping. _

_Was I wrong? Because though you stopped judging people from what they look, you couldn't let go of your fond habit of prejudicing. I know what your father did to your mum was harsh. I know that betrayal hurts. I know that as well as the back of my hand._

_So you are hurt. And you wouldn't let me come close to you because you don't see me as your friend any longer. I have changed, in your eyes. I am no longer that same Trevor. You think I'll end up hurting you too. _

_Because you think all men are alike._

_To deal with this matter of Suzanne Crimson and Trevor Melbourne._

_I met her before the last Astronomy class. To give you the background information, I have liked Suzy even before I knew what the word meant. I adored her. So imagine my horror, my shock, when the girl of my dreams starts flirting with me._

_To this day, I don't know why she acted that day the way she did. What I do know was that I ecstatic. I could only see that __**Suzanne Crimson liked me**__. But you…you…kept invading my mind just when I would begin to fascinate about her and I would remember your laugh, your rolling grin when you greeted me in the mornings. _

_And I would feel utterly miserable._

_When I look back and meditate on that time, I realise that…I never really liked Suzy. I was crazy about her, sure, but I think that's because I was just really obsessed with the idea of being with her. I liked her idea, and not her. Makes a huge difference, I know._

_So we started dating. When camp finished and we were both back in New York, our 'relationship' continued. I was her toy. In school, I would follow her like a guppy, carrying her books and bags. On the couch I was her kissing practice. She never cared about what I wanted. And that is what, I think, made me wake up one night, and realized: I love you. _

_Not the idea of you. You. With your big smile, and frizzy hair and stupid idealistic notions, and NASA dreams and veggie rants and fear of roller coaster. I love each and every bit of you. Because that's what makes you, a complete person: Shannon Kilbourne. _

_I find out a year later that your parents are divorced. I wanted to come to you immediately since I knew you needed me. I felt there, in the bottom of my heart, sitting there in crowded New York City, I felt my heart boom: Shannon needs you._

_I looked for you. I swear I did. Everywhere. But you were unattainable._

_Even Anna wouldn't tell me anything; simply a brief "she and her mum have moved to California."_

_You know I used to say fate was all bull? I disagree now. I believe it is alive and thriving and very, very naughty._

_Because a _year later, _I find you here. I want to talk to you. Listen to you. Hear about everything that has happened in our lives these past three years. I miss you. I want to be there for you. But you won't let me._

_Because all men are the same._

_Right?_

_Now listen to me. If you want, you can crumple up this page and throw it right out of the window but first just hear me out._

I love you.

_I have loved you from the day you laughed, from the day you cried in front me, from the day you first gave me that disgusted look [:(]. I have loved you for so long that I never knew until you left me. _

_But I know now._

_I know I love you._

**I love you, Shannon Kilbourne.**

_Yours forever_

_Trevor_

Shannon set the letter down on her desk. She carefully avoided his eyes. And she cried, her tears cooling that volcano that been burning her for so, very long, alighted by something that she had no control over.

Maybe all men weren't the same.

---------

She met him by the riverbank.

She went over to him, hurriedly stepping over the stones.

And she stood facing him, her cheeks bright red, his the same, a slight huffing ensuing from both.

"Thank you." She said.

He understood her. Just like he always did.

Two pairs of feet dipped in the cool river.

Two pairs of eyes looked at each other, and then darted back to the intent hands.

Two hearts sang: "I love you."

And two lips smiled shyly.

Shannon leaned her head on his thin chest, his hand stroking her soft blond locks. She knew they were still a misfit for each other. They were still not the ideal couple.

She still didn't seem to fit him like Eve had Adam. They were anything but perfect.

But Shannon had learnt: Life didn't need to be perfect to be happy.

And together they were not perfect.

But together they were happy.

And that's all that mattered.

----

Author's Note: Whew! This story, I must say, took me awhile to finish. I used to feel sometimes then I would never get around to completing it but, tada! I did it. So…how do you find it? I really try to improve my stories in any way I can... Always try new techniques to better them, and stuff.

So…please…honest opinions. Whatever you liked, didn't like, felt could be improved. Everything stated politely is welcome =)

So, there we are. End of _It's A Typical Love Story_, based on the song by the same name by Katharine McPhee.

The lines right at the beginning of the chapter are Coldplay's Violet Hill. Brilliant song, brilliant band.

Thus, I now bid thee adieu, with loads and loads and loads of love and hope that prejudice (which incidentally means 'harm' in French) would someday come to an end.

Love and best of luck for everything in life,

_Ginny_


End file.
